1. Why Your Skin Matters
Our skin provides us with the ability to touch and feel. It also controls our temperature, helps us synthesize Vitamin D, insulates our bodies and protect us from infection. Keeping your skin healthy and intact—it is literally a body’s first line of defense against infection--is vital to overall health. When our skin becomes compromised--by an infection or a wound--our bodies become vulnerable.
2. Why The Elderly Are More At Risk
As our skin ages, we experience a decrease in epidermal turnover---our outer layer of skin is not rejuvenated as often---and our ability to heal wounds decreases. An elderly person's skin may not heal properly from a cut or tear, and may have a harder time fighting off an infection. Our skin also becomes more fragile and easier to tear or cut. When we're young, our skin helps ensure a steady temperature---in part by activating sweat glands. As we age, our skin has a harder time maintaining that temperature. Our skin's elasticity and supporting structures also decrease. These changes in skin function place the elderly at a higher risk of skin disease and the health complications that follow.
3. See Your Doctor
It is important that a health-care provider examine an elderly individual's skin and monitor its health and integrity. Small cuts, scrapes and irritations can turn into chronic wounds and significant infections. See your doctor regularly and address any concerns regarding your skin’s health.
4. Sun Exposure
Ultraviolet (UV) rays, an invisible form of radiation rom the sun, can damage to skin cells. You can reduce the risk of aging by avoiding the sun when it is at its strongest, routinely using lotion with SPF of 15 or higher, wearing wide-brim hats and other protective clothing, as well as discontinuing the use of tanning beds or lamps. Sun exposure is the leading cause of premature aging.
5. Pruritus (Itching) Most Common
Itching is a common skin complaint in the elderly. While there can be multiple underlying conditions that may cause itching—chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, thyroid conditions, or even drug allergies—xerosis, or dry skin, is commonly the cause. Dry skin can cause severe redness, scaling and sometimes fissures that can compromise the integrity of the skin. By simply scratching the dry skin, you are putting yourself at a higher risk of infection. Scratching the itchy area can lead to small tears and cuts in the skin where bacteria can easily take root and cause bigger problems.
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